Heading down to Staveley for a birthday do this weekend. Myself and my brother-in-law are taking bikes in case we get the chance to escape for a spin.

What’s good for a quick blast preferably with at least one rock strewn descent?

Had a look on the Edge Cycleworks site and found a couple of routes there (Garburn and Nan Bield routes look good) but is there anything else worth considering?

Thinking short and sweet, with lots of technical interest if possible, rather than a big day out.

Also can anyone explain this thing where you are only allowed to ride where there is a particular length dashed line on the map 😉

Pop into Wheelbase they have weatherproof route maps and a hose an showers afterwards!

Doing something involving the Garburn descent into Kentmere is probably best for a short and techy blast (not ridden it for a while though so it may have been ‘fixed’. Staveley – Longsleddale – Kentmere – Stavely is great fun though. If you don’t want a big day out you could do the cheeky short version of Nan Bield where you go up Gatescarth then across Harter Fell and descend Nan Bield.

Also can anyone explain this thing where you are only allowed to ride where there is a particular length dashed line on the map

Yeah the Lake District is a bit different to Scotland. The longer dashes mean you can ride it and it will probably be great – the shorter dashes mean it might be amazing to ride or really rubbish.

This differs from the Scottish system where the short dashes represent a supposed path that peters out in the middle of a vast expanse of unrideable bog. 😉

Thanks folks,

Weather forecast is pretty bobbins but it looks like the terrain is so good it would be rude not to drag our hangovers out for a ride.

This differs from the Scottish system where the short dashes represent a supposed path that peters out in the middle of a vast expanse of unrideable bog.

😀

The Garburn Pass climb up from Dubbs Reservoir is now sanitised into an non-technical climb, but it is a big climb that tests legs and lungs. The descent down into Kentmere is as loose and rocky as ever and much fun.

Nan Bield is a favourite of mine and fairly easy to navigate.

Doing both in a day is a grand day out.

HP Plantation is also worth a look.

For Nan Bield go up Gatesgarth Pass from Longsledale and then over Harter Fell and down to the Nan Bield pass and down into the Knetmere Valley.

Nan Bield is good and rocky, pop into Wheelbase for info

The Garburn Pass climb up from Dubbs Reservoir is now sanitised into an non-technical climb, but it is a big climb that tests legs and lungs. The descent down into Kentmere is as loose and rocky as ever and much fun.

This

Then at the bottom of the pass take the bridleway past kentmere hall for extra tech and I suspect some interesting stream crossings at the moment

if you want a hangove based raide then head out towards Dubbs reservoir, up to Garburn pass and down into Kentmere, then back down the west side of the the Kentmere valley. Not overly long but very much grin-inducing

..and finish off in the Eagle and Child